I thought this exercise was a nice change of pace from my day-to-day routine because it forced me to be fully present as I took a walk around my neighborhood — something I hardly do anymore. Initially, I didn’t think I would be able to observe anything except “houses”; however, that proved not to be the case as I soon guided myself to our neighborhood park. Some notable events that occurred were getting barked at aggressively by several dogs, stepping in wet grass and soaking my white shoes in mud, nearly passing out from hunger as I walked by a house that smelled deliciously of pizza, and taking a moment to appreciate the gold crescent moon that lit the sky as day turned into night.
I find the concept of the Psychogeographic Map fascinating because it gives readers of my map the chance to not only follow me on my physical journey but my mental journey as well. My journey is not only marked by landmarks and sounds (external forces) but subjective internal forces as well such as hunger (when I smelled the pizza) and gratitude (as I gazed upon the moon). I feel that psychogeographic maps are important because they provide insight into how someone internalizes their external space. For planners of a physical space, getting a collection of psychogeographic maps created by people visiting that space can increase their empathy and guide their decision-making.